Mumbai: In yet another fast paced development in Maharashtra, just 48 hours after Ajit Pawar was sworn-in as deputy chief minister, the irrigation scam case against him was officially closed today.
The scam, pegged at around Rs 70,000 crore, relates to alleged corruption and irregularities in approval and execution of various irrigation projects in Maharashtra during the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) rule.
Ajit Pawar was among the NCP ministers who was in-charge of the irrigation department at different times between 1999 and 2014 during the Congress-NCP coalition rule in Maharashtra.
The move, however gave ammunition to the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine, which has accused the BJP of pressuring Ajit Pawar to switch side.
Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi told her party colleagues and Shiv Sena leaders that this battle won’t and should not be given up easily.
She urged the Congress to raise the issue of government formation in Maharashtra daily in the Parliament and even take to streets if need be.
She said that the Congress will fight this battle together to save democracy and the Constitution.